Game apparatus



April 29, 1958 D. c. BROWN GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. July23, 1956 FIG. 4.

I N VEN TOR DWIGHT 0. BROWN TTORNEY A ril 29, 1958 D. c. BROWN 2,332,596

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 23, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

| INVENTOR DWIGHT 0. BROWN United States Patent 2,832,596 GAME APPARATUSDwight C. Brown, Arlington, Va. Application July 23, 1956, Serial No.599,624 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-85 My invention relates to a game apparatusin which the basic action involved is similar to the sport of ice orfield hockey.

One object of the invention is to provide a game of this type with novelcomponent parts so designed, proportioned and arranged as to makeplaying of utmost interest due to the realm of skillful manipulationinvolving physical, muscular and mental coordination which can bedeveloped from playing experience and which enhances competition andamusement.

A second object of the invention is to provide a game of this kind, withnovel and unique construction features and with various detachablecomponents that make such a game apparatus easier and more economical topackage, distribute and assemble, thus adding to its attractiveness formarketing purposes.

Another feature of the invention'is the provision of the bottom orplaying deck sloped toward the center which causes the ball used in playto roll within reach of the strikers, thus minimizing the instances ofdead ball (not within reach of a striker) which would he often whenutilizing a flat playing deck.

A still further feature of the invention is the novel design of thestriker plate which has a curved face for facilitating difficult angleor bank shots and fiat sides which make it possible to pass the ballbetween plates on one play stick, and cupped or recess features on theback side to hold the ball so that it can be flipped back into playafter being hit out of the box-like structure.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a mechanical ball starteror shooter which maintains continuity of competition and increases gameexcitement.

The game apparatus may be described generally as an open-typerectangular box-like structure or receptacle, with or without foldinglegs, with bottom playing deck sloping toward the center from the twoends, such structure being equipped with two detachable goals located atthe two ends farthest from the center, playstick controls installed atright angles to the goals to which are attached convex shaped strikerplates having limited horizontal lateral movement and 360 circularmovement, a mechanical starter and a Ping-pong type ball which is usedin a similar manner as a puck in the sport of ice hockey.

Referring to the drawings for a more complete disclosure of theinvention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of the game apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detail View of a striker plate,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the ball starter on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of another form of the game apparatus, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The apparatus consists of a rectangular box 1 having longitudinal sides2, transverse ends 3 and a bottom 4 that slopes from the ends 3 towardthe center to provide 2,832,596 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 a transversevalley 5 which causes the ball to roll within reach of centrally locatedstriker plates.

Slidably and rotatably mounted in the sides 2 are the play sticks 6,each provided with a handle 7 at one end and a. stop pin 8 at the otherend.

Securely fastened to the play sticks 8 are metal striker plates 9. Eachstriker plate may be formed of sheet metal, plastic or other suitablematerial, and has a loop 10 that slides on and surrounds the play'sticks and is secured thereto by a screw 11 that tightens the loop inplace. This construction facilitates packaging with the play sticksplaced within the box. The diameter of the loop is slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the play stick, thus. tightening of the screw draws thelap end of the loop toward the back of the striker plate and tightagainst the play stick.

The simple and easy method of afiixing the striker plates to the playstick by tightening of one screw makes it possible and practical topackage and ship the game partially unassembled with the play sticksplaced loose in a diagonal position inside the box-like structure. Toassemble, the play sticks are inserted in holes in one side of thestructure and the striker loops are then slipped on the play stick andsecured in position by tightening the screw. The play stick is insertedthrough the other side of the box structure and the stop pin inserted atend of play stick opposite handle. The striker plate has a convex face12, somewhat flat sides 13, a concave back 14, .and is open at thebottom. The concave back is of a size to receive the ball 17.

At each end 3 of the box 1 are apertures 15 and a detachable goal 16 inthe form of a receptacle for receiving the ball 17 in play.

Along the line of the valley 5 and at the central point of the sides 2are mechanical ball starters 18 which project into the apertures 19 inthe sides 2. The starters are carried by leaf springs 20, one end ofwhich is secured to the side 2 and the other end interposed between'thestarter or plunger 18 and a handle 21 and held in place by the screw 22.

In the form, Fig. 1, the two central playing sticks have three strikerplates 9 with the concave backs 14 facing each other. The two endplaying sticks have one striker plate each and the concave backs faceeach other. With this arrangement (Fig. 1) it will be seen that theconcave backs of the two central sets of striker plates on each side ofthe valley 5 face the valley.

In Fig. 5 there are six play stick controls, as contrasted with fourplay stick controls in Fig. 1. The two end playing sticks 6 have onestriker plate 9, the two central playing sticks 6a have five strikerplates 9, and the intermediate playing sticks 6b have three strikerplates 9. in the six play stick game, it is desirable to have the convexface of two central sets of striker plates and the end sets face thevalley 5. With the intermediate sets, the concave face of the strikerplates face each other.

The game can be played by two or more persons, the number of playersbeing determined by the number of play stick controls installed in thebox-like structure. As a player may operate one or more play sticks, aside or team may consist of one player or two players, when a four playstick game is used, and one, two or three players when a six, play stickgame is used. The two playing teams face each other and the direction ofplay is to the left of each team.

In the four play stick game each side or team has two play sticks, onedesignated as goalie or guard for defensive play, and the other playstick designated as a forward for offensive play. When only two playersare engaged in the four play stick game, one on each team or side, eachplayer controls his respective goalie or guard play stick with his righthand and normally controls j? the forward play stick with his left hand.The striking surface of both goalie striker plates face toward thecenter of the game apparatus. The striking surface of the three strikerplates on the forward play sticks face toward the nearest goal, i. e tothe left of each player when in positionfor play.

The six play stick game has three each play sticks controlled by eachteam or side. In addition to the goalie and forward play sticksincorporated in the four play stick game, the six play stick game hastwo center play sticks, one for each team or side. The striking surfaceof the striker plates on the two center play sticks face toward theexact center of the game apparatus facing the respective team goal.

In beginning the game, the ball isdropped on the circular marked spot17' or shot along the valley 5 by the starters 13 and thus put in play.After a team makes a goal, the ball is given to the opposite team whichputs it into play by use of the starters 18.

The object of the game is to manipulate the play stick handle in variouscombinations of turning, sliding, twisting and flipping movements tocause striker plates to contact and move the ball, projecting it in astraight, diagonal or otherwise movement toward and into the team goal.

I ciaim:

l. A game apparatus comprising a playing deck, side and end walls, saidend walls being provided with ball receiving pockets, the ball adaptedto be impelled over the playing deck, a series of play sticks extendingtransversely above the playing deck and provided with striker plates,the playing deck having plane unobstructed surfaces sloping from the endwalls toward the center to provide an unobstructed transverse valley atthe center into which the ball will normally roll during play, the

series of play sticks comprising a pair of parallel central sticks, oneon each side of the valley, the ball when in the valley being withinreach of the striker plates on each of the central sticks.

2. A game apparatus comprising a playing deck, side and end walls, saidend walls being provided with ball receiving pockets, the ball adaptedto be impelled over the playing deck, a series of play sticks extendingtransversely above the playing deck and provided with striker plates,the playing deck having plane unobstructed surfaces sloping from the endwalls into the center to provide an unobstructed transverse valley atthe center toward which the ball will normally roll during play, theseries of play sticks comprising a pair of parallel central sticks, oneon each side of the valley, the ball when in the valley being withinreach of the striker plates on each of the central sticks, and ballstarters for shooting the ball along the line of the valley, and carriedby the side walls.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1, in which the striker plate has aconvex face, flat sides and a concave back.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,903,254 Bishop Mar. 28, 1933 1,934,381 Slosson Nov. 7, 1933 2,203,990Heymer June 11, 1940 2,215,687 Carter Sept. 24, 1940 2,507,258 KohlerMay 9, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 378,846 Italy Feb. 26, 1940 1,046,992 FranceJuly 15, 1953

